Lingerie clasp



' dimly 2?', w26. 'lygf W. A. RAYMOND LINGERIE CLASP Filed Sept. 17, 1925 /SATTORN EY Patented July 27, 1926.

WALDQ A. RAYMOND, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

y LINGERIE CLASP.

Application led September 17, 1925. Serial No. 56,858.

This invention relates to lingerie clasps which are commonly used by women for the purpose of keeping together the shoulder straps of their under-garments so that the straps will not spread apart and slip off the shoulders.

Clasps for the purpose described are usually made in the form of a piece of metal bent to form a closed loop with' the ends normally pressed against each other, due to the springiness of the metal. The loop comprising the clasp is made of a narrow piece of metal quite frequently of a recious character, and the flat surfaces of t e metal may be chased or otherwise ornamented. The loop is long and flat so that itwill readily accommodate straps of di'erent widths, these straps being usually made of thin silk so that their thickness is a minimum. Clasps which consist merely of a plain loop are useful in holding together the two shoulder straps in overlying relation but they provide no means by which the straps may be held in position relative to the outer garment so 'that the straps may be kept concealed, and further they do not' grip the straps tightly so that frequently they slip alon the straps and thus become useless for the .esired purpose.

lt am aware that it has been proposed to remedy this defect by employing clasps made in two pieces, one of which consists of a closed loop into which the ystraps are introduced, and the\other a piece of metal which is sewed or otherwise secured to the dress and is provided with some means by which the loop portion of the clasp may be secured to it. While a clasp of this type' is satisfactory in that it maintains the straps in concealment, at the same time it is expensive to manufacture, inasmuch as it consists of two separate parts, and it necessitates that one of these parts be permanently secured to the dress. The result is that the user must have a pair of clasps for each dress, and considerable work isl involved in sewing to the dress the part which serves to anchor the clasp in position in relation thereto.

The present invention is intended to overcome the difficulties above pointed out, and is directed to the provision of a clasp by which the straps may be held in proper relation to each other, and also in fixed relation to the outer garment or dress. This claspis made in a single piece, and is "of .edge of the dress around the neck simple construction, so that it is cheap .and easy to manufacture. It is of small size furthermore, so that it may easily be placed 1n position w` ere it is concealedby the outer garment.

In the accompanying drawings there, is i shown the vention, an

Fig.; 1 shows a perspective view of the (preferred embodiment of the inclasp 1n position on the shoulders of the wearer,

Fig. 2 is an end view of the clasp, showlng the straps running through it and the clasp secured to the garment,

lig. 3 lis a perspective view of the clasp, an

Fig. 4 is a similar perspective view, but with the parts open so that the straps may be introduced therethrough.

Vtith reference to these drawings, the strap is seen to consist of a flat strip of metal 10, the outer surface of which may be chased or otherwise-ornamented- Precious metals, such as gold, white gold, platinum, and the like may be employed for the manufacture of the clasps, and the metal selected will depend on the price at which the article is to sell. The metal is bent so that its ends 11 and 12 lie in overlying relation, forming a flat, elongated loop. The two ends normally press against each other, due to the springiness of the metal, and the inner end 11 terminates at its extreme end in an inwardly bent portion 13, which extends into the open center of the loop sufficiently so that it will engage against the straps and thus' hold them firmly and prevent them from bunching up in one end of the loop. This inwardly extending portion 13 further prevents the straps from working out between the two ends of the strip of metal.

The outer end 12 is reversely curved as at 14, and bent back upon itself as at 15, the portion 15 normally bearing against the upper face of the part 12, but having its free end 16 curved away from the Hat surface of the part 12.. This reversely bent portion forms a recess into which a portion of the dress may be received. This is illustrated more clearly in Fig. 2, in which the two straps are indicated generally at 17, and the opening designated 18. 'The edge of the part of the dress 18 is received in the recess formed between the parts 12 and 15, and is securely gripped betweenthese parts, thus lnsurmg that the clasp will be anchored firmly to the dress. At the same time, the upwardly curved end 16 afford a means by which the parts 12 and 15 may be sprung apart sufriciently to permit the introduction of the ortion of the dress.

As will be seen from Fig. 2, the closed end of the recess 14 lies substantially flush with the end of the loop, extending beyond the end only a slight distance, as indicated at 19. This extending portion affords a means by which the clasp may be sprung apart, as indicated in Fig. 4., for the introduction of the straps. The wearer may spring the two parts of the clasp apart by inserting her fingernail between the two ends at the point 19, when the straps may be readily placed in position in the open center of the loop against the inner face of the flat portion 20.

` neck opening 1s small,

The straps are then spread out lat, so as not to be wrinkled; then the clasp is released, and the upper part 12 will spring down against the end 11 so that the loop is closed. In the ysame way the recess may be opened by springing the end 16 upward slightly, thus permitting the introduction of the edge or a fold of the dress.

As will be seen from Fig. 2, the inwardly bent end 13 of the midway of the en s of the loop, thus serving to anchor the two straps in proper relation in the loop. The outer part of the metal 12 has an outward bend 21, which lies substantially even with the 'end 13, and when the loop is opened in the manner described the presence of the bend 21 gives additional room, so that the straps may be readily inserted and removed from the open center of the loop.

In Fig. 1 the clasp is shown in position on the shoulder straps 17. It will be seen that the closed end 14 of the recess lies at the inner end of the clasp and when the dress is put on the edge of the dress around the neck opening may be inserted into the recess, when the only part of the clasp visible will be the portions 15 and 16. If the it may be necessary to make a fold in the material of the dress spaced from the neck opening, which may be received into the recess. Also, if desired,

art 11, lies substantiallyv the clasp may be worn in reversed position, with the recess 14 on the outer end of the clasp. The position of the clasp will be determined by the character of the dress worn. In the views, the clasp has been exaggerated as to size for purposes ot making the illustration clearer, but it will be understood that the clasp is quite small and not nearly so large in proportion to the figure as is shown in the illustration.

It will be seen that the new clasp is inexpensive to manufacture, since it is made of a single strip of metal by simple bending operations. ,It is easy to manipulate, and serves the purposes both of keeping the shoulder straps' together, and holding the straps in proper position on the shoulder. At the same time practically all of the clasp is concealed from view, and the small part which is visible is not unsightly.

I claim:

1. A lingerie clasp consisting of a strip of metal bent with its ends in overlapping relation to forni a closed loop, the inner end of the metal being bent inwardly toward the open center of the loop, and the outer end of the metal being bent upon itself to form a recess, the walls of which are in contact at one point.

2. A lingerie clasp consisting of a strip of metal bent with its ends in overlapping relation to form a closed loop, an outward bend in the outer piece of metal near the point where the two ends begin to overlap'Qand a recess in the outer piece of metal overlying the loop and formed by bending the free end ofthe metal back upon itself.

3. A lingerie clasp consisting of a strip of metal bent with its ends in overlapping relation to form a closed loop, an outward bend in the outer piece of metal near the point where the two ends begin to overlap, the inner end of the metal being bent inwardly toward the open center of the loop adjacent this outward bend, and a recess in the outer piece of metal overlying the loop and formed by bending the free end of the metal back upon itself.

In testimony whereof I atliX my signature.

WALDO A. RAYMGND. 

